8 comments:

Curiously, it seems to lack any kind of flash. So, I am guessing it is more likely a flash, than a 3rd camera. Also, I doubt whether any smartphone can do without a flash for low light. And a flash also helps with improving the overall lighting in a photo.

the method of defining front and back for smart phones is something i feel i will never get comfy with. ;-)

for me a phone has a side that i am interfacing with - that one with the display... and the other side is the one with the cover, that is facing away from me. i am "talking" to my phone, so i want its front facing to me, not it's back. The back is the more static, boring side - at least for me. ;-)

BTW: would you put a computer monitor facing you with it's front, or its back?

A phone replaces today a DSLR, camera, corder, whatever.For many use cases screen and camera has to be on different sides.That the camera faces to the scene and the screen to you - like with your computer monitor... :)

I would argue this is a consumerism issue, do you "really" need dual camera, HDR, digital zoom, multi-MP resolution and dual camera image combinations for a selfie? Are people really going to use that dynamic range and resolution?

Or is it more likely going to be down-rezed and put on facebook? Is the colour space changes going to nullify many of the colour optimisations and tonality of HDR implemented by combining algoriths? How often, will images from the front facing 'selfie' camera be printed at any meaningful size?

Now the back-side cameras I understand as per Light's multi-camera module design. But for the selfie camera. Come on, its clearly a gimmick no different to the MP race. Yes it will sell many modules, but considering we have issues with supplies for the rare earth elements and considering we have issues with electronics recycling, do we really need to implenent such self-centered, rampant consumerism designs in handsets that have 2 year lifetimes. Especially now that some carriers offer contracts that you can update your phone within a year.

A total waste of silicon, purely in the name of extra 'numbers' and 'specs' to attract consumers and up sales.